Osteoporosis risk factors in rural and urban women from the Lublin Region of Poland.

In various epidemiological and clinical studies, bone quality, bone mineral density (BMD), as well as risk of falling have been associated with lifestyle and anthropometric/demographic characteristics. The objective of this study was to evaluate the osteoporosis risk factors occurrence and its association with BMD in rural and urban women from the Lublin Region in Poland. A cross-sectional study of risk factors of osteoporosis and fracture was carried out in a cohort of 900 rural and urban women aged 30-79 years, representative of the general population the Lublin Region. Data pertaining to osteoporosis risk factors as well as medical history were taken using a specially designed 31 item questionnaire divided in seven sections: social history, past medical history, reproductive history, drug history, family history of osteoporosis, nutritional habits and lifestyle factors. The lumbar spine (L(2)-L(4)) was examined in a-p position using the dual X-ray absorptiometry- DXA (LUNAR Corp.). The differences between urban and rural women in the appearance of particular osteoporosis risk factors, such as gynecological, dietary calcium intake, smoking and coffee consumption, was noticeable. Age, years of menopause and family history of osteoporosis (in mothers) were found to have strong negative independent associations with lumbar spine BMD. Body Mass Index (BMI) was found to have strong positive association with BMD. Dietary calcium intake, coffee consumption and level of physical activity had noticeable positive and independent, but not significant association with BMD.